


Love vs. Honor

by defenselesswriter



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Allison and Lydia are sisters, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Knight Derek Hale, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pining Derek Hale, Prince Stiles, Warning: Kate Argent, derek is not dead, i repeat DEREK IS NOT DEAD EVER IN THIS FIC, okay so spoilers but i need to tag this in case any of you want to stop reading bc of it, warning for Stiles THINKING derek is dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-17 02:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14178978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defenselesswriter/pseuds/defenselesswriter
Summary: Derek believes there is nothing more important than true love. Everyone should be able to marry who they love. Everyone except Derek.





	1. Chapter 1

Derek has never had trouble with his duty before. It has always been about protecting the royal family, specifically Prince Stiles. Although, throughout his tenure of protecting the prince who is only a few years younger than Derek, Derek has begun to develop...feelings. He has an attraction towards the prince that he has never felt for any other person. It is troubling to say the least. 

The way the prince’s eyes light up in delight at the smallest experiences such as seeing his breakfast, or witnessing the first bloom of spring. Derek did not know eyes could hold so much emotion and light. Looking into them makes him feel as though the world is okay.

Then the attack happens. The kingdom has been peaceful for many generations now. Across the land, they are known for their strong armies and also their peaceful treaties among disagreements. No one has had a problem with Beacon Hills for longer than Derek can remember. While Derek is always prepared for an attack, he has yet to experience one.

It is sudden and happens much faster than he ever expected. One second they are camping in the woods as per the desire of the prince. Prince Stiles loves being outdoors. He does not enjoy hunting as most of the other royals do. Instead, he loves to climb trees and feed the deer. It as if the animals can feel the joy emanating from the prince as Derek can.

Fortunately, when the attack happens, the prince is in the trees. A dagger flies past Derek and sticks into a tree, alerting Derek of an intruder on their camp. He quickly looks around and finds a band of what he assumes are thieves who saw the royal emblem on the tent and came searching for gold. They act fast, but Derek has been trained to be faster. 

“Stay where you are, sir!” Derek yells up the tree. While the prince is well known for defying his father as often as he can, he does not defy Derek in this moment. 

Derek dodges an attack from one man and then swiftly kicks the one behind him. There are three in total, and Derek feels that he has a handle on them. There are no other knights with him as the prince prefers to be as alone as possible on his camping trips. According to him, it helps him ease his mind, and he prefers Derek because he does not talk a lot.

“Sir Boyd does not talk much either,” Derek had countered.

The prince rolled his eyes. “Sir Boyd has many preconceived notions about me that show on his face.”

Derek barely remembers half of the fight because it goes by so fast. After only what feels like a few moments, the three men are running away from Derek. He waits a few minutes before calling up to the prince that he can come down.

The prince climbs down, his eyes wide with fear. His face is reddened a little as he looks away from Derek. “Thank you,” he says.

“It is my honor,” Derek answers automatically.

Prince Stiles nods and looks at the tent. “Would it be too much trouble to pack up and return to the castle?”

“Not at all,” Derek tells him and goes to work on dismantling the tent. Prince Stiles attempts to help, but his hands are shaking. Derek does not say anything. It takes a little longer than it would if Derek were working by himself, but he thinks that the prince needs the hands on distraction to ease his mind. 

Once they are packed up, the make the trek back to the castle. The guards are surprised to see them, but they say nothing. It is not until they reach the throne room where King John and Queen Melissa are. Their surprise is not so silent, especially when the king sees Prince Stiles’ face.

“What happened?” the king demands, looking to Derek.

“There were a band of thieves,” Derek dutifully explains from his kneeling position on the floor. “After a fight, they ran away. The prince is unharmed.”

Derek can see the queen relax, but the king is still on the edge of his throne.

“I am unharmed,” the prince reiterates. He steps closer to the throne, and the queen stands up and meets him halfway. Her hands are on his face as her eyes check for any sign of injury.

She sighs and kisses his cheek before returning to her throne. Her hand covers the king’s, and he looks slightly more relaxed. Not that Derek has ever seen the king fully relaxed.

“May I retire to my room?” the prince asks.

“You may,” the king says. “Would you rather we send dinner to your quarters?”

“Please.”

“Sir Derek, please go with him,” the queen asks as polite as she ever is.

Derek bows his head and follows the prince out of the throne room and through the halls of the castle. They walk in silence when usually the prince is discussing the finer tunings of different subjects he has been reading about. Derek almost feels that he should say something, but the words do not come out.

Once they reach the prince’s quarters, he goes into his bed chambers. Derek stands outside the door.

The door opens a few minutes later. “Sir Derek?” the prince beckons.

“Yes, your highness?” Derek asks, turning slightly to face Prince Stiles.

“Please make sure that the only person to reach my door is the butler with dinner,” the prince kindly says. “I do not wish to be disturbed by anyone tonight.”

“Yes, your highness,” Derek agrees. The door closes, and Derek turns around, ensuring no one makes it to the prince’s door as instructed.

It is not the most exciting job, but Derek takes his duty very seriously. He has been entrusted to protect the prince, and that is what he shall do until his dying breath. 

Well after the prince has gone to bed, Madam Erica replaces Derek in guarding the prince’s door.

“I will be back at sunrise,” Derek tells her, knowing the prince does not typically awake before the sun.

She laughs softly as to not wake the prince. “Of course you will.”

He does not question what she means because with Erica, it is usually better not to know what she is talking about. Instead, he goes to the knights’ chambers and undresses quickly. Once he is undressed, he falls into a bed and feels as though he is asleep instantly.

As promised, he is at Prince Stiles’ door before the sun has risen. He has always been an early riser, which has been an advantage for him. He has always had more time to practice, and he also always gets the fresh bread that is coming from the oven in the mornings. 

Erica nods her head at Derek when he arrives and silently walks away. Her silence means nothing happened during the night. Derek resumes his position guarding the door, allowing for one moment to believe he could ever be at that door for another reason.

A while later, the door opens, and the prince steps out. “Good morning, Sir Derek,” the prince says.

“Good morning, your highness.” Derek follows Prince Stiles out to the dining hall where breakfast is waiting. He stands at the edge of the room as the royal family dines together.

“Are you alright?” Prince Scott asks as soon as Prince Stiles sits down.  

Prince Stiles explains what happened and that he remained safe in a tree while the attackers were in the camp. He does not seem as bothered today as he was yesterday. Perhaps a good night’s sleep is what he needed.

Prince Scott looks over at Derek and smiles. “I thank you, Sir, for always keeping my brother safe.”

Derek nods. “It is my honor, your highness.”

Prince Stiles looks over at Derek, and for a moment, his eyes look dim. Derek wonders what is troubling the prince, but does not ask as it is not his place.

Both princes turn around and begin discussing their plans for the day. 

“I may not do much today,” Prince Stiles announces. “I plan to spend my day reading I think.”

“What about your studies?” Queen Melissa asks.

“Can that not wait but one day?” Prince Stiles pleads.

She smiles at him and nods. “It can wait one day.”

Later that day, while Derek is off duty and practicing his defense moves with Boyd, Prince Stiles approaches them.

“May I speak with Sir Derek alone please?” the prince asks.

Boyd quickly excuses himself and goes back towards the town.

“What can I do for you, my lord?” Derek asks.

“I need you to teach me,” the prince demands.

“Teach you what, sir?” Derek questions, confused. Many inappropriate thoughts flash through his head, incredibly inappropriate since he is the prince’s knight. There is no chance for Derek to ever live those thoughts out. Not with the prince.

“Teach me how to protect myself,” Prince Stiles demands. “I will never feel the same way I felt the day before. I refuse to feel weak and ineffectual again.”

Derek is still confused, but he cannot deny the prince’s request. 

He goes home that night still confused. His sister, Cora, greets him at the door. 

“How is the love of your life doing?” she asks with a faux innocent smile.

He knows exactly what or  _ who _ she is talking about. He doesn’t want to admit that, though, and he wills the blood in his body not to rise up to his cheeks. From the way that his other sister, Laura, walks up to him and starts poking at his cheeks, he didn’t succeed.

“I heard you had a special talk with him today,” Laura says, continuing with the torment Cora was giving Derek. “What was that about?”

“It is between the prince and me,” Derek immediately answers.

“You never tell us anything fun about the prince,” Cora whines. “What is the purpose of having a brother who is in the royal guard if he doesn’t tell us anything?” Her question is directed at Laura, so Derek doesn’t answer.

Laura lifts a shoulder and drops it. “The purpose obviously is not for our amusement.”

“It most definitely is  _ not _ for your amusement,” Derek is quick to say. “It is an honor to work for the royal guard.”

“We have heard this before,” Laura tells him. “We know how much you value your honor.”

“I also value our social standing, our house, our food, and having clothes.”

“As if we do nothing,” Cora laughs. She is right. They both are seamstresses for the royal family, making most of their clothes. Cora wanted to be a knight, but she injured her ankle falling from a tree as a child. Most days, she feels no pain, but running causes some for her. 

“We all work to support each other,” Laura reminds them, settling the tension that was building. “We are making our parents proud.”

Derek nods. He cannot say anything in disagreement when she brings up their parents. They were killed when Derek was fifteen while they were out visiting a nearby kingdom. Fortunately, the king and queen, who were friends of their parents, took in Derek, Laura, and Cora. They helped provide each of them training for their work, and Derek will be forever grateful for King John and Queen Melissa.

But sometimes, he wishes he wasn’t a knight. He wishes he was a prince of some far off land that could visit Beacon Hills in the summer when the sea and weather are warm. He wishes that his family could have married him off to Prince Stiles to keep the peace between the two kingdoms.

Derek shakes his head and sits down to unlace his boots. He doesn’t need to encourage those kinds of fantasies. He is better off finding someone else, someone who isn’t royal. Someone who isn’t Derek’s duty to protect. If only he could get Prince Stiles out of his mind.

Unfortunately, Derek doesn’t have a lot of time away from Prince Stiles as he shows up at the Hale’s door before dawn.

“If it weren’t treason, I’d kill him,” Cora grumbles when Derek opens the door.

“Cora!” the prince greets. “How lovely to see you as always!”

She blinks at him before bowing her head. He waves his hand. “This is a very informal meeting, so feel free to keep the formalities away.” Prince Stiles turns to Derek with a smile. “Are you ready?”

Derek nods and waves to his sisters before following the prince outside. They walk towards a grassy field on the castle’s grounds all while Prince Stiles tells Derek of his dream from the night before.

“I was covered in spiders,” the prince tells him. “Literally covered from head to toe in spiders, and I was naked! How frightening is that? Should I see someone to interpret my dream? What do you think it means?”

“That you’re afraid of spiders,” Derek answers.

The prince laughs loudly. “This is why you are my favorite knight.”

Once again, Derek is willing himself not to blush. He might be successful this time because Prince Stiles doesn’t say anything.

When they get to the field, Derek sees that there are already weapons laid out under a tree ready for them to use. Derek raises an eyebrow at them. “How long have you been awake, your highness?”

The prince waves his hand. “Does it need to be said? I think not. I just thought we should be prepared for this morning.”

Derek looks away from the weapons that include a sword, axe, and spear. “I apologize if this is rude, sir, but I do not think you’re ready for weapons.”

The prince looks surprised and take a step back. “Excuse me?”

“I am very sorry,” Derek quickly says. “It is not that you are weak or ineffectual as you fear. It is that my training started with hand to hand combat, and I believe that is where we should start yours.”

Prince Stiles settles a little at that, but he still looks a little doubtful. He goes along with Derek’s instructions anyway, trusting him.

“I remember when you first started training,” Prince Stiles says a little later. The sun is up now, and it’s making the two of them sweat. The prince’s face is a little red. “I think I was ten, maybe eleven?” He tilts his head as he thinks about it, but then shakes his head. “Anyway, you were so scared to hurt the instructor is what I remember.”

“You watched me train?” Derek asks.

The prince’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to speak and then closes it. He opens it again, and this time words come out. “I didn’t mean to intrude. You know me. I will do anything to get out of my studies, right?”

Derek does know that. He has been a distraction for Prince Stiles many times and has also accompanied the prince on many walks to breathe fresh air away from his books. 

“I wouldn’t say I know you that well,” Derek says, stepping closer to Stiles to correct his form. “Is it alright if I touch you?”

“Sure,” the prince says quickly.

Derek puts one hand on the prince’s back, straightening it. Then with his other hand, he brings down Prince Stiles’ elbow. “You want to be relaxed as you fight, not tense.”

“Really?” the prince asks, sounding slightly breathless. “I would not have thought that possible.”

Derek steps away to face the prince once more, mirroring his position of holding his hands up in front of his face to block any attacks.

“Also, I’d say you know me better than a lot of people around here,” Prince Stiles says quietly. “I think you may be the only one who listens to me talk all the time.”

As much as he wishes he did that out of duty, Derek has to admit - to himself - that he does that because he loves the sound of the prince’s voice. He loves hearing Prince Stiles laugh and the smoothness of his voice is calming. Derek cannot admit any of that to the prince, though. Never.

They meet most mornings with Prince Stiles arriving at Derek’s house before sunrise. His sisters have taken to waking up before he arrives so that their sleep is not so loudly disturbed. They are also desperate to know why Derek is running away the prince every morning.

“My sisters are becoming suspicious,” Derek comments as they are walking one day. They have grown to talk to each other a little less formally over the last few weeks. Of course, Derek is still respectful of the prince in every way, but he has gotten comfortable talking with him.

“Of what?” the prince asks. “Do they have any theories?”

“A few,” Derek says, but doesn’t elaborate.

“I wonder if any of them are close to what is really going.”

Derek laughs. “No, their ideas are pretty wild.”

“What are they?” the prince asks, stopping in his tracks to look at Derek. His eyes are lit up as if this conversation is exciting to him.

Derek looks away, unable to restrain himself much longer if he keeps looking into the prince’s face. “They seem to believe that we are in a secret romance.”

“A secret romance?” the prince questions.

Derek looks up to see the prince’s head tilted as he thinks about what Derek just said. 

“That is a pretty wild idea, isn’t it?” The prince looks back at Derek, and his tone was lighthearted, but there’s something on his face. His eyes are a bit dimmer than usual. Derek is eager to bring the light back to his eyes.

“Cora also believes that we are going to run away to another kingdom to marry and live in secret.”

Prince Stiles laughs. “That is a lovely idea.”

“Is it?” Derek asks.

The prince sighs and begins walking again. Once they reach their normal practice spot, Prince Stiles sits on the ground.

“I wish to marry someone I love,” the prince sighs again. He looks over at the trees of the woods and is silent for the first time since they began practicing.

“Is there someone you have in mind?” Derek asks curiously, his heart beating loudly and quickly at the thought of Prince Stiles wanting someone else. Never mind that Derek knows the prince cannot love him, but he does not want to hear that he loves someone else.

The prince looks back at Derek with a sad smile and nods. “Not that he’d ever give up his duty to love me back.”

Something in Derek hurts at that. The prince loves someone, and that someone could not see through their own hangups to see that the prince loves them.

“He must be a nitwit,” Derek comments.

The prince laughs so hard that tears form in his eyes. He wipes them away and looks back at Derek with sparkling eyes. “He must be.”

At least Derek returned the light to the prince’s eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

It becomes an easy routine between the two of them, and Prince Stiles really does improve in his fighting techniques. He has always been a quick learner, so Derek isn’t surprised. The prince takes Derek’s instructions very seriously and always listens carefully. 

It makes Derek fall even more in love with him.

Soon, it begins to wear on him. It’s different being around the prince while on duty than training him and spending time just the two of them. 

“Are you alright?” the prince asks as soon as Derek opens the door. “Do you need time to rest?”

I’m alright,” Derek answers, but doesn’t look the prince in the eyes.

Prince Stiles doesn’t say anything, but instead leads Derek to the other side of the castle where the gardens are. He sits by a fountain and pats the spot next to him, so Derek sits beside him,

“I always come here when I need to think,” the prince tells him. “It helps me feel better, being around the trees and flowers.”

“I said I was alright,” Derek says, looking down.

“You are an awful liar, Derek,” the prince says.

Derek looks up at him, surprised. “You’ve never said my name like that.”

The prince blinks and then looks down, embarrassed. “I apologize. I thought we were getting a little past the formalities.”

“I’m your knight,” Derek says slowly.

“You are,” Prince Stiles says just as slowly.

It is on the tip of his tongue to say something, to tell the prince how he really feels, but he cannot jeopardize his livelihood because of his feelings. The feelings are unrequited anyway. Admitting them would do no good for either of them.

The prince sighs and looks away. “Do you ever wish you were someone else?”

“All the time,” Derek softly admits.

“What do you wish you were?”

“It’s silly,” Derek says, shaking his head.

Prince Stiles laughs. “Of course it’s silly. Wishing to be someone else is silly. Fine, I’ll go first. I wish I was a commoner.”

“Because you want to marry the man you love?” Derek guesses.

The prince nods. “Because I wish to marry the man I love.”

“You should discuss that with the king,” Derek suggests. “Perhaps he will see that true love is more important.”

The prince looks at Derek almost like he doesn’t recognize him. “Do you really think that?” Prince Stiles asks, inching closer to Derek. “Do you really think that true love is more important than anything else?”

Derek blinks a few times, wondering what his answer is. He has to think about it, but the way the prince is staring at him makes him eager to answer. “Yes,” Derek breathes out. “I do. I think true love is the most important thing in our lives.”

There’s so much between them in this moment. Derek can feel the tension between them, and it’s making it hard to breathe. Neither one of them are saying anything. They can’t. What is there to say? 

Derek knows exactly what he wants to say, but the prince is in love with someone else. He rips his gaze away and takes a deep breath. “I think you were right,” he mumbles.

“About?” the prince asks.

“I think I need some rest. If you’ll excuse me, sir.”

“Of course,” Prince Stiles says, leaning away from Derek and looking at the flowers with a frown.

Derek is quick to stand up and walk away, walking as fast as he can without running because running would cause too much attention. He doesn’t need anyone staring at him right now. He doesn’t need anyone to see the tears in his eyes.

Fortunately, no one is home when he opens the door. He falls instantly to his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He never understood why people discussed love as breaking their hearts. Hearts cannot be broken.

Or so Derek thought. He is pretty certain that his heart is currently broken and that it will never be fixed.

Someone knocks on the door, but Derek cannot be bothered to get up and answer it. It doesn’t matter who it is anyway. He doesn’t want to see anyone. Perhaps he will never leave his bed. That isn’t so bad of an idea.

The knocking becomes more persistent, so Derek calls out, “Leave me alone!” He regrets the words leaving his mouth as soon as he sees Prince Scott open the door.

“I apologize for the intrusion,” the prince quickly says, looking away from Derek.

Derek stands up and wipes his eyes quickly. Then he bows. “It is only an honor to be visited by you.”

“Sir Derek,” Prince Scott says, looking back at him. “Let’s not play dumb here. I need to know what you have done to my brother.”

Derek blinks. “I have done nothing to Prince Stiles except protect him, your highness.”

The prince shakes his head. “He came back to the castle this morning looking a lot like you are right now.”

“And how is that?” Derek asks.

“Eyes red and swollen as though he had been crying. The guards in the gardens say that you were the last person he saw before returning to his chambers.”

Derek looks down. “I have done nothing to him, your highness.”

“I do not believe you are that obtuse, Derek,” the prince says, his voice hard. “I have always liked you, but never as much or in the same way as my brother. I don’t want to be rude, but you have hurt my brother.”

Derek looks up again, trying to keep in his anger. “I hurt your brother? I have done nothing but protect him since the day I turned eighteen. For seven years, I have dedicated my life to protecting him. This?” He waves his hands around his chest. “Heart break? That I cannot save him from.”

“So you know?” Prince Scott asks.

“He told me,” Derek admits. 

“He told you, and you sent him away?” the prince looks a mixture of confused and angry. “He confessed his love for you, and you turned him away? Why?”

“Excuse me?” Derek asks. “He never confessed his love for me. I...he...” Derek stops and thinks through their conversations together, piecing everything together. “I did not know he loved me, your highness.”

“Then what did he tell you?” the prince asks, stepping closer. His anger has faded away slightly, but the confusion is still there.

“He told me he was in love with a man who would not give up his duty to marry him. He told me he wished he could marry out of love. I didn’t know I was the man he was talking about.” Derek looks down at the floor, feeling a wave of guilt crash over him. He practically ran away from Prince Stiles, who was trying to confess his love. “I need to go.”

“You do,” Prince Scott agrees, taking a step to the side to allow Derek to pass.

This time, Derek runs. He runs as fast as he can to the castle and through the castle halls to Prince Stiles’ chambers. He knocks on the door to the bed chambers.

“Leave me be!” the prince yells.

“It’s me,” Derek calls back.

There’s a loud thump. A few moments pass, and then the door opens. “Derek?” the prince asks, his eyes wide and looking exactly as Prince Scott described.

“May I come in?” Derek asks.

Prince Stiles nods and steps back, giving Derek room to enter. He closes the door behind him. “I thought you were done ripping my heart out.”

“There’s been a misunderstanding,” Derek is quick to tell him, turning to face him. “I misunderstood you.”

“You misunderstood me?” the prince questions. “I poured my heart and soul to you, and you ran from me. I think things were clear.”

“I thought you were in love with someone else,” Derek explains. He starts pacing the room, looking around so he doesn’t have to see Prince Stiles’ face. “I thought you were talking about someone else. I didn’t realize it was me you were talking about.”

“And does that change anything?” The prince doesn’t sound hopeful.

Derek stops walking and looks at him and realizes something. “No,” Derek sighs. “It doesn’t.”

“Then why did you come here?” the prince demands. 

“It doesn’t change anything,” Derek repeats. “I love you, but that doesn’t change anything.”

Prince Stiles holds up a hand. “I’m sorry, what? That doesn’t change anything? Derek, that changes everything.”

Derek shakes his head, looking to the side to hide the water in his eyes. “I am your knight.”

“You are.”

“I have sworn to protect you and your family.”

“And you are unable to do that if you are with me?” Prince Stiles asks. “Is that what you are saying?”

“That is what I am saying,” Derek says softly. He looks back at the prince whose jaw is clenched. He looks angry.

“Bullshit,” the prince says. “I don’t believe that for a second. You love my family. You love me. That makes you even more motivated to protect us. You would do a better job protecting us if you were with me.”

Derek shakes his head. “Your highness,” he starts, but the prince stops him.

“I believe we have reached a point where you can call me Stiles.”

“Stiles,” Derek says, his voice breaking along with his heart. “I can’t. I would be far too distracted to do my job. You are distracting.”

“It hasn’t affected you so far,” Stiles argues and then stops, his face softening. “You’re scared.”

“Of course I’m scared,” Derek tells him. “I’m scared to lose you, that you’ll find a more suitable match. Stiles, I’m a knight. I have nothing to offer you. I have no land or riches or a kingdom to give you.”

The anger in Stiles’ eyes return. “You think that is what I want? When I said I want to marry for love, you heard that I want to marry for land, money, and a kingdom? How does that happen? I thought I was pretty clear.”

“You’ll never be able to marry me.” Derek wants to cry again. The pain is too much.

“And who is going to be the future king?” Stiles asks. “Who do you think will be writing the laws in the future?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It can be that simple. You are the one making it more complicated.”

“I don’t deserve you,” Derek tells him. “I’m not good enough for you.”

Stiles walks closer, and Derek backs up, his back hitting the door. “That’s for me to decide,” Stiles whispers, his hand coming up to cup Derek’s cheek. He leans closer, and Derek watches closely as Stiles’ eyes close as he comes closer and closer. The moment their lips touch, Derek’s eyes close as he takes a deep breath. Without thinking, his hands find their way to Stiles’ waist, pulling him closer. 

It’s the first time Derek’s thoughts have stopped. All he can think about is the way Stiles’ lips feel on his. Stiles parts his lips, scraping his teeth softly against Derek’s bottom lip, and Derek has never felt anything better than this.

Stiles’ other arm wraps around Derek, his hand resting on his lower back. They’re as close as they can possibly be, but somehow Stiles finds a way closer. He slots his leg between Derek’s, and the friction it causes makes Derek moan.

Stiles immediately pulls away, his pupils blown wide. “I...you...” He stops and takes a breath, staring intensely at Derek. “You are beautiful.”

Derek doesn’t have words, so instead, he pushes forward and captures Stiles’ lips with his again. He takes small steps, making Stiles back up until they hit the bed. Then Derek gently pushes Stiles down onto the bed. He takes a moment to appreciate the view of the prince laying in front of him.

“What?” Stiles asks, blushing.

“You are beautiful,” Derek tells him, placing on knee on the bed and then leaning down towards his prince. Derek kisses him because he is allowed to. All of the fear has been wiped away. It is a long forgotten thought. How could Derek have been afraid of this? This is the best feeling ever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't you worry, my friends. this is not the end. it's just as much as i could give you today bc i'm deathly ill. not deathly. that's an exaggeration, but i'm a writer. what do you expect? i'm supposed to be dramatic.   
> anyway. follow me on tumblr @ dude-its-stars-hollow.tumblr.com for writing updates  
> also....it's gonna get worse...don't say i didn't warn you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry it's a short chapter and it's a day late, but here it is! the angst has appeared!

There is a loud pounding on the door. “Your highness?” calls out a voice that sounds a lot like Sir Boyd’s. 

Stiles breaks apart from Derek, leaning his head back and breathing heavily. “Yes?” Stiles calls back.

“The king needs to see Sir Derek immediately,” Boyd says through the door.

“He’ll be right out,” Stiles says, looking back at Derek. “I suppose you have more important matters to attend to.”

“Nothing is more important than you,” Derek tells him.

Stiles smiles widely. “Oh, this is going to be delightful. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon,” Derek whispers, kissing Stiles once more before pushing himself off the bed. Stiles continues to lay there, staring at the ceiling as Derek backs out of the door. 

“Sir Derek,” Boyd greets once Derek closes the door.

“Sir Boyd.” Derek nods at him in greeting.

Boyd nods back and then pats Derek’s shoulder once.

“Thank you,” Derek says. They walk down the halls to the throne room in silence. Once in the throne room, they both kneel before the king.

“Sir Derek, Sir Boyd,” the king greets. “You may stand.”

They stand, and that’s when Derek sees the seriousness of the king’s face. There is something gravely wrong.

“We have received word that the bandits that attacked Prince Stiles were not bandits,” the king says. “They were spies for the Argent kingdom. They have declared war.”

Derek’s stomach sinks. They have not had a war in generations. “What does this mean, your highness?” Derek asks because he really doesn’t know.

“You two are my best knights,” the king continues as if Derek hadn’t spoken. “I need the two of you to lead the army against the Argents.”

Derek and Boyd glance at each other and then the king again. “When do we leave, your highness?” Derek asks.

“Now,” the king answers. 

The doors to the throne room open, and the other knights walk in. Once they are all in the room, they kneel until King John tells them to stand. 

“It is time to use your training to protect this kingdom,” the king tells them. “I thank you for serving us, and may the gods be with you.”

Derek is unsure of how he ended up marching in the forest. He does not recall how he arrived to this point. All he knows is there is an army of people behind him. All he knows is that he has to protect his kingdom.

Sir Boyd, Madam Erica, and Sir Isaac are all with him with their own armies of people, and eventually they will have to split up. For now, they are together and planning their attack.

“I believe we should stay of the defensive,” Sir Isaac says. “They have yet to attack us, but we should be prepared if they do.”

“They attacked Prince Stiles,” Derek is quick to say. “I agree we should stay on the defensive side, but they have attacked us already. There is no if about it. Only when.”

They are all silent for a moment as they all think about the severity of this situation. None of them have ever seen Beacon Hills go to war before. Each of them are too young to remember the last war between the Argents that happened over a century ago. It was only over land, and it was settled quickly as the Beacon Hills kingdom has always desired peace more than land or wealth.

“We are going to have to part ways,” Sir Boyd says, and Erica is fast to agree.

“Covering more land between us will be better than only protecting the entrance,” she says.

Derek agrees with them, so he nods his approval. They begin to separate after they have planned where they should be. Derek takes the area people rarely travel through to get to Beacon Hills. Erica takes the entrance while Isaac protects the front of the castle, and Boyd protects the town. It is a small kingdom, which allows for them to protect each of their spots.

It is a quiet few days with his army. Nothing happens for a while, and he hears no word from the other knights, so he has to believe that nothing has happened for them as well. To pass the time, he thinks of Stiles, of their future together. 

Maybe one day they will be married. Maybe one day they will adopt children of their own and begin their family. Derek is eager to return back to the castle, eager to return to Stiles. He cannot wait until he can wake up next to Stiles each morning and have breakfast together rather than Derek watching Stiles eat. 

He even misses his sisters now. He hopes they are doing okay without him. Of course, they will be protected if anything happens. Also, they are both more than capable of fighting for themselves. He is not worried about them, but he is worried that they miss him and are worried about him. Laura will stay strong for Cora, though. She will pretend that Derek is on a camping trip with Stiles as is the usual. Cora will not outwardly worry, but Derek knows her well enough that she is thinking of the worst-case scenario. He hopes she is still sleeping and isn’t having too many nightmares. Derek and Cora started having nightmares regularly after their parents died, and when they are stressed, the nightmares get worse.

He watches his army practice amongst themselves, and he sometimes engages with them. They all seem in awe of him, afraid almost. Most of them are young, barely eighteen, but they have been training for this since they were fourteen. That is when the training for knights begins in their kingdom, and knighthood is not granted until they are at least eighteen and ready. 

They try to make themselves as prepared as possible, but nothing could have prepared them for what happened.

**Stiles** :

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks, his throat closing up. This is the worst possible scenario. He didn’t think this would happen. His father is lying to him, joking even though either of those are not things his father does often. 

“Sir Derek...,” his father pauses. “He is gone.”

“Gone?” Stiles repeats.

“Presumably dead or near dead,” his father tells him, not having any mercy on Stiles’ heart.

He can feel the tears well up in his eyes, but he cannot cry in front of his father. Not that his father would have a problem with it, but Stiles must stay strong. 

“But there’s hope that he has just been captured, right?” Stiles asks. “We can begin to negotiate with them for his return, right?” He is desperate for that hope, and his eyes are begging his father to give it to him.

The king shakes his head. “We have already negotiated the terms of peace,” he says, looking sad. “They have promised us they have no captives.”

“Who else is gone?” Stiles asks. “Who else have they murdered?”

“It was a battle, Stiles,” his father tells him. “There are always casualties in battles.”

“Who else?” Stiles asks, blinking the tears away.

“Sir Boyd, Sir Isaac, and Madam Erica,” his father says. 

Stiles nods. Basically everyone he has come to befriend in their knighthoods has been killed. He cannot think of Derek, not right now. He cannot begin to fathom the kind of loss he is currently feeling. He knows his duty as the next king takes precedence.

“What were the terms of peace?” he asks.

His father looks surprised, but he answers. “We will broker peace together through marriage.”

“Who?” Stiles asks. “Who is being married off?”

Suddenly, Stiles is no longer talking to his father. He is talking to the king. He has seen this change a thousand times throughout his life. Sometimes, his father can be his father, but other times, he has to be the king. Stiles understands, but he hopes his children will never see the coldness on his face as king. He hopes that he will always be able to be their father first rather than the king. He knows it’s a foolish hope. 

“Princess Lydia Argent and Princess Allison Argent are on their way to us,” the king tells him. “Princess Allison has been betrothed to Scott.”

“And Princess Lydia?” Stiles asks, his voice flat and devoid of emotion because he knows what is to happen next.

“Princess Lydia has been betrothed to you, my son.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Wednesday, my dudes!

**Stiles:** ****

Soon. Soon is a relative term.

No, soon is a lie. 

Stiles has been staring blankly at his door for what feels like an eternity.

“The princesses will be here soon.”

Soon is the end of his life, the end of everything he once hoped for. Soon is the word that crushes every hope and dream he ever had. Soon is the worst word he has ever heard in his entire life.

There is a knock on his door. He does not answer it, does not make a sound. Is he even capable of that anymore? He isn’t sure he is capable of living anymore.

_ Nothing is more important than you _ .

The words replay in his head, and he can hear the exact tone and cadence of the words. 

_ Nothing is more important than you _ .

“Your highness,” a voice calls out, a voice he doesn’t recognize. He recognizes no one within the castle anymore. Everyone is a stranger. Stiles is a stranger to himself.

Again, he doesn’t answer.

“Your highness, the princesses are here,” the voice persists.

That gets Stiles moving. He has a duty to his kingdom to keep the peace between the Argent kingdom and his own. He has a duty as future king to wed the princess that has been forced upon him as if his own feelings and mourning do not matter.

He stands up and opens the door, which frightens the poor soul on the other side. 

“Your highness,” the child greets, bowing his head.

Stiles nods in greeting and walks away. He heads towards the throne room where he knows the guests will be. Are they even guests? They will be here for the rest of their lives. They are not guests. Neither are they intruders or enemies. Not anymore. 

He walks into the throne room, and the two of the most beautiful women he has ever seen are standing in the middle of the room. One has strikingly dark brown hair that falls in curls down her back. She turns when she hears Stiles and smiles at him. Her dark hair brings out the fairness in her skin, and her smile is kind with dimples that are deeper than the ocean.

The other woman turns to face Stiles with an eyebrow raised as if she is questioning why he should be here. Part of her strawberry blonde hair is braided away from her face, but the rest is down in soft waves that also remind Stiles of the ocean. Perhaps in another life, these women were mermaids.

Despite their beauty, Stiles hates them.

“My son,” the king says, making Stiles look to him instead of the not-intruders-not-guests. “May I introduce you to Princess Lydia and Princess Allison.”

When their names are said, the one with strawberry blonde hair nods her head in greeting, and the one with dark hair waves her hand, still smiling at Stiles.

Stiles bows his head in greeting as he is supposed to. He is operating only for duty now. Life has no other meaning besides his duty to his kingdom.

Belatedly, he notices his brother is in the room as well. He is focused on Princess Allison with his heart shining through his eyes as it always does. It takes Stiles only a moment to realize that Scott is smitten with the princess already. Fortunately, it is the one he is to wed.

“When is the wedding?” Stiles asks rather carelessly.

Princess Lydia raises both of her perfectly manicured eyebrows at him. “Are you in such a rush to marry me?” she asks.

“I am in a rush to perform the duties for my kingdom that befall on me,” Stiles answers.

She nods her head, accepting the answer, and looks back to the king as though she is interested in the answer to Stiles’ question as well.

“In three days time,” Stiles’ father answers.

“Eager, are we?’ Princess Lydia asks.

“Eager to show your grandfather that we are at peace with his kingdom.” The king stands, and immediately, everyone in the room kneels. “I will leave you all alone to acquaint yourselves.”

As he passes by Stiles, his father rests a hand on his shoulder. “I know this task is particularly difficult for you. I wish I could tell you that our job gets easier. It does not.”

The words are not at all comforting, but Stiles doesn’t think they were supposed to be. However, his father’s heavy hand on his shoulder is comforting. It is as though his father is sending him strength through that touch. He believes in Stiles, that Stiles can do this. 

Stiles must believe the same.

His father leaves the room, and everyone stands once more. Stiles holds his arm out to Princess Lydia. “Would you like to see the gardens?” he asks.

“I am more interested in your library if we may,” she answers.

He nods. “I am happy to show you.”

She puts her hand on his arm, and they begin walking down the corridors towards the library. “I am sure to think that you are not happy about this arrangement at all.”

“You would be correct in that thought,” Stiles answers truthfully.

“You dislike me already,” she comments, and he looks towards her. She is staring at him, slightly confused.

Stiles looks forward before he answers. “Your army killed my knights.”

“As though it is my fault my grandfather declared war on your kingdom.”

He almost laughs. Almost. “His blood runs through your veins, and you are the closest person I have to blame.”

“Blame me if you must,” she tells him seriously. “The longer you do, the worse this endeavor will be. I still hold hope that we could be friends one day.”

“Friends?” he questions and looks down at her. “You don’t wish for more?”

She shakes her head, smiling. “I am no fool, Prince Stiles.”

“Please call me Stiles,” he tells her. “We are to be wed in only a few days. The formalities can cease.”

She nods. “Then you shall call me Lydia.”

“Lydia,” he says softly, “we have reached the library.”

He opens the door for her, and she gasps softly once she sees the inside. Stiles can admit that their book collection is quite impressive. There are journals of previous kings and queens in here as well as stories written for entertainment. Some rulers have written down war strategies, recommendations on how to keep the peace in the kingdom. All of the treaties with the neighboring kingdoms also reside here.

“It is beautiful,” she whispers. She releases Stiles’ arm and goes wandering through the books. He lets her wander without disturbing her. Here and there, she will pick up a book and skim through it quickly. She holds onto the ones that Stiles guesses have piqued her interest the most.

There are tables in the room that Stiles goes to sit at as Lydia keep perusing the books. He drums his fingers on the table, trying not to think of what he inevitably will think about when left to his thoughts.

He is gone.

He is not coming back.

The love of Stiles’ life, dead. 

The hope of a brighter future, dead.

Stiles’ soul, dead.

“Your face could break the strongest of hearts,” Lydia comments as she sits in front of Stiles.

He raises an eyebrow at her. “Could it?”

“Care to share your thoughts?” she asks as she opens one of the books that are stacked on the table. 

“No,” he immediately answers.

“That battle really ruffled your feathers,” she says, her voice almost bored as if she is not interested in the topic.

“Your army killed my knights,” he repeats.

“Knights are disposable,” she says, waving her hand. “There are always more that can be trained to protect us.”

“Not my knights,” he tells her.

She looks up at that, studies his face for a moment, and then she looks as though she understands everything. “ _ Your _ knights? Or perhaps your  _ knight _ .”

He doesn’t answer, but his face must say something that she can respond to.

“I am sure they were amazing, Stiles,” she says softly, “but, realistically, what kind of future would you have had with a knight?”

“A beautiful one,” he says.

She leans back in her chair, folding her hands on her lap. “You are optimistic.”

He looks to the side, away from her. “I was.”

“Not anymore?” 

“Not anymore.”

She doesn’t question him anymore after that. Stiles assumes she goes back to reading, but he doesn’t look back at her. It is quiet in the library as it should be. No one else is in here, and Stiles is once more alone with his thoughts. 

He wishes he could be in bed, the blankets protecting him from his thoughts as though they are capable of that. He could pretend for just a moment that he is still waiting for him to return. Once Stiles is outside of his room, he is in the harsh light of reality. The reality where he is not coming back. Ever.

He is not coming back.

Stiles will not see him soon.

Soon.

Soon is the worst word in the English language.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter is in Derek's POV so ya know he's not dead. promise.


End file.
